Stamp
site sponsored and run by the National Philatelic Society, London, United
Kingdom

What is Stamp Collecting

The
collection and study of postage stamps became popular in the second half of
the 19th Century, and soon came to be called“philately” (from the Greek “ateleia” meaning “exempt from
tax”). The interest in stamp collecting quickly followed the issue of the
first adhesive postage stamps by Great Britain on 6 May 1840.The introduction of the postage stamp was only part of a much wider
reform of the postal system.Prior
to December 1839, the charge for sending letters was calculated depending on
the number of sheets of paper and distance travelled within the British Isles,
and was usually collected from the recipient of the letter. From 10 January
1840 letters were charged purely by weight, and not by the distance travelled,
and prepayment was made compulsory.The
standard single rate of inland postage was reduced to 1d, which was paid in
cash by the sender.Thus the
introduction of the 1d Black was a landmark in that it made the whole process
of posting a letter more affordable, and much easier.Foreign
postal administrations followed Great Britain in issuing stamps, which led to
a worldwide interest in the hobby. By the 1860’s stamp collecting had
brought about the introduction of catalogues and albums as well as the
beginnings of the philatelic profession.

How to collect stamps

You can collect stamps in many ways.Some collectors concentrate on the issues from one country, or those
issued during a particular period, such as the reign of a monarch or head of
state. Other collectors study particular types of stamps, the watermarks of
the paper, etc. By looking at exhibits and talking to other enthusiasts you
will learn of the enormous variety and the complexity of stamps. Once you have
decided upon your subject, you can begin the hunt for your collection!.

Where to find stamps

There
are many different sources for stamps. Obviously you can buy new issues from
the Post Office, which is one of the cheapest ways to enjoy the hobby.Dealers at stamp fairs often have boxes of less expensive, as well as
the more expensive stamps.There are also specialist auctioneers of stamps, and several magazines
which will give you lots of information about new issues, when and where fairs
are being held, and advertisements from the many hundreds of dealers who have
stamps to sell. Once you’ve started, you may find a specialist book helpful
– there are hundreds of philatelic catalogues and reference books
available.
For the names and addressed of organisations
which can help you, see the back cover of this leaflet. Another way to collect
is to join your local stamp club. You will find a listing of the regional
clubs at the local library, or contact the Association of British Philatelic
Societies (ABPS). Members love to swap stamps, or buy them from the
“exchange packet” (a circulating package of stamps etc) which is run by
most societies.The displays and talks given by visiting speakers can also benefit
collectors with new information and ideas. With any hobby, try to “tailor”
your collecting to suit your budget and your interests.
Do not pick a subject, which has limited
material available, or one which will stretch your pocket too far. If you wish
to buy wisely so as to “protect” the funds you’ve spent, be certain to
obtain expert advice first – as with any “collectible”, the modern, mass
produced issues will not necessarily increase in value

What
to collect?

Stamps may be divided into sub-groups according to their various functions, as
follows: Postage Stamps– we normally think of stamps as being for the payment of postage
(“franking”) for the ordinary correspondence. They may be divided into
three groups, all of which are generally used for the pre­payment of postage:Definitives– ordinary stamps which are issued for general use at values
applicable to current postage rates, or multiples of that rate. Generally they
are printed in sheets, or in booklets or coils. Commemoratives– these stamps are issued to mark a particular event or
anniversary or purpose and are normally only in circulation for a limited
time. They are particularly popular with collectors of Thematics. Provisionals
– these stamps are generally used as a temporary measure and drawn from
existing and current stock. They are overprinted for changes in rates, usage
and events when there is insufficient time to design and print a new issue.Postage Due
Stamps-where correspondence has been under-paid/understamped with respect to
the required rate, stamps can be affixed to the letter or parcel indicating
the amount which needs to be paid by the addressee.Not all postal administrations use postage due stamps (also known as
“Unpaid LetterStamps”),
but rather use instructional markings on the letter as an alternative. Airmail Stamps
– these are extremely popular and probably the most common “special
purpose stamps”.They resulted
from the rapid growth of mail-carrying by air transport in the 1920’s. This
was a special service and hence required a special fee (sometimes referred to
as an “air tax”) in addition to the normal surface postage.Some countries used special stamps for this additional fee,
whilst others used extra normal postage stamps. If no special stamps were
used, “Par Avion” labels were affixed, or instructional marks hand-written
on the items. Charity Stamps
– these stamps have one part with the postal value and the other with the
amount donated to a particular charity or charitable cause, eg: Red Cross,
child welfare, natural or war disaster, etc. Special Delivery
Stamps – these
are issued by the postal administration to distinguish the different systems
of payment for, and delivery of, different types of correspondence, such as
Express Letter, Registration, Advice of Delivery/Receipt, Newspaper, Printed
Matter, Parcel Post, Pneumatic Tube Post. Government Department
and Revenue Stamps
– eg: Inland Revenue, Board of Education stamps (issued by GB from
1882-1904), Dept of Agriculture/Interior/Navy etc. (issued by the USA).
Revenue stamps are issued specifically to collect taxes, and in some cases
have the dual purpose of paying postage. They are also known, as “fiscal”
where their sole function is to pay duty or a tax (eg Duty on a contract).Local Stamps – these are issued for use in a specific area (a town or
district) or to pay for the private delivery of letters to routes where the
postal service is not operated by the government, and as such are often the
precursor to
a country’s first issued stamp. Telegraph/Telephone/Unissued/Testing
Stamps - these are
known as “Official Cinderellas” and were used in services closely aligned
with the post office, sometimes even paying the postage. Postal Stationery
-this term defines the envelopes or cards which had stamps pre-printed or
embossed on them, such as postcards, aerogrammes, wrappers etc. With any
hobby, the range and diversity within stamp collecting is enormous.